Rockchuck Walkabout
Posted: Thu May 05, 2022 5:23 pm
With all the recent Pacific storms mucking up our spring varmint shooting, it was with great optimism when I awoke yesterday to bright sunny skies, snow in the high country, clear ground on the high desert and warm temps for a change. Seemed like the perfect opportunity to take a rifle for a walk in the junipers to see if any rockchucks were up. I was not disappointed.
The ranch I planned to shoot is not large, average range for chucks is probably 200 yards, so I decided my 204's were both overkill and too noisy for the area. My Cooper Phoenix 221FB (Furball) seemed about perfect for the task. While I was scoping rock pile island between the junipers, I spotted this cool little buck munching away on the fresh spring buds. Looks like he's going to be a fork horn.
He seemed oblivious to the rockchucks, they're probably used to each other. Seems the best grub was up in chuck territory.
Even though the weather conditions were ideal for chucks, not too many were out sunning themselves on the lava rock. This property has the highest point in the SE corner of the property, about 30' higher on a gradual slope than the rest of the ranch. There's a large lava rock pile in that corner that's always been a healthy chuck condo. I spotted a big one peeking over a rock at the highest point of the rock pile. Because of the difference in elevation between me and the chuck, and the spring grass growth, I just could not get a clear shot at the chuck laying prone down lower than the rock pile. So.....in the space of about a half hour, I sneaked through the rocks and junipers trying to get to a place I could get a shot. The chuck of course busted me and bailed down into the hidey-hides.
Finally I got to some level ground almost at the same elevation as the rock pile and deployed my bipod, binocs and rangefinder. It was only 144 yards to where I last saw the chuck bail, so I waited. You can see the rock pile in the left center of the pic in the tree opening.
After about ten minutes, a big golden chuck slithered over the rocks and laid down looking to my left. No elevation adjustment was necessary, as my M1 elevation turret was set at "zero", or 100 yards. I set the crosshair between the chuck's nose and ear and touched the 10 oz. Jard trigger. At the report, the chuck completely flipped off the rock, down into the hides.
That Nosler 40gr Varmageddon hit the chuck so hard, it blew out her left eyeball, killing her instantly. I saw that she had pups this year, but they appeared to be already weaned. I didn't want to shoot any more, fearing I'd shoot some of her young so left that condo to grow the family population.
Couldn't help notice a very cool old knarley juniper tree, probably 300 years old. There's usually a hawk or eagle perched in it.
The chuck was not the largest I've taken at this property, about average for an adult. From the pic, you can see why I consider a 204 a bit much for this place, the little 221FB with a max charge of RL-7 with that 40gr VG at only 3,100 fps is plenty for work inside of 350 yards, and it doesn't rattle the neighbors either.
All in all, a good morning for a walkabout with a rifle. Now it's raining again for a few days, so glad I got out when I did. Here's hoping for some decent weather soon to get out with some more serious rifles for some LR fun with Skippy.
The ranch I planned to shoot is not large, average range for chucks is probably 200 yards, so I decided my 204's were both overkill and too noisy for the area. My Cooper Phoenix 221FB (Furball) seemed about perfect for the task. While I was scoping rock pile island between the junipers, I spotted this cool little buck munching away on the fresh spring buds. Looks like he's going to be a fork horn.
He seemed oblivious to the rockchucks, they're probably used to each other. Seems the best grub was up in chuck territory.
Even though the weather conditions were ideal for chucks, not too many were out sunning themselves on the lava rock. This property has the highest point in the SE corner of the property, about 30' higher on a gradual slope than the rest of the ranch. There's a large lava rock pile in that corner that's always been a healthy chuck condo. I spotted a big one peeking over a rock at the highest point of the rock pile. Because of the difference in elevation between me and the chuck, and the spring grass growth, I just could not get a clear shot at the chuck laying prone down lower than the rock pile. So.....in the space of about a half hour, I sneaked through the rocks and junipers trying to get to a place I could get a shot. The chuck of course busted me and bailed down into the hidey-hides.
Finally I got to some level ground almost at the same elevation as the rock pile and deployed my bipod, binocs and rangefinder. It was only 144 yards to where I last saw the chuck bail, so I waited. You can see the rock pile in the left center of the pic in the tree opening.
After about ten minutes, a big golden chuck slithered over the rocks and laid down looking to my left. No elevation adjustment was necessary, as my M1 elevation turret was set at "zero", or 100 yards. I set the crosshair between the chuck's nose and ear and touched the 10 oz. Jard trigger. At the report, the chuck completely flipped off the rock, down into the hides.
That Nosler 40gr Varmageddon hit the chuck so hard, it blew out her left eyeball, killing her instantly. I saw that she had pups this year, but they appeared to be already weaned. I didn't want to shoot any more, fearing I'd shoot some of her young so left that condo to grow the family population.
Couldn't help notice a very cool old knarley juniper tree, probably 300 years old. There's usually a hawk or eagle perched in it.
The chuck was not the largest I've taken at this property, about average for an adult. From the pic, you can see why I consider a 204 a bit much for this place, the little 221FB with a max charge of RL-7 with that 40gr VG at only 3,100 fps is plenty for work inside of 350 yards, and it doesn't rattle the neighbors either.
All in all, a good morning for a walkabout with a rifle. Now it's raining again for a few days, so glad I got out when I did. Here's hoping for some decent weather soon to get out with some more serious rifles for some LR fun with Skippy.
